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| Distraught father torches self in Marine van |
| 2004-08-26 |
| A distraught father who had just been told his Marine son was killed in combat in Iraq set fire to a Marine Corps van and suffered severe burns Wednesday, police said. I wonder if we'll bill him for destroying gov't property. Three Marines went to a house in Hollywood to tell the father and stepmother of Lance Cpl. Alexander Arredondo that their 20-year-old son had died Tuesday in Najaf, family members said. The father, Carlos Arredondo, 44, then walked into the garage, picked up a propane tank, a lighting device and a can of gasoline he used to douse the van, police Capt. Tony Rode said. He smashed the van's window, got inside and set the vehicle ablaze, despite attempts by the Marines to stop him, Rode said. When the couple saw the Marines walking toward the front door, "My husband immediately knew that his firstborn son had been killed — and my husband did not take the news well," Melida Arredondo told reporters before police escorted her to the hospital. "It doesn't surprise me that he was so traumatized. He went crazy," she said. The Marines pulled Arredondo from the burning van and extinguished the flames on him, police said. None of the Marines was injured, Marines spokesman Maj. Scott Mack said. |
| Posted by:Jarhead |
| #9 ditto sock puppet, and ship, I wasn't insinuating anything worse, I pretty much know your standing and agree with you |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-08-26 7:35:30 PM |
| #8 I think this is a man that was close to going over the edge and this just pushed him. It's a damm tragedy. My heart goes out to the family. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2004-08-26 7:31:00 PM |
| #7 I didn't mean it that way Frank... ,sigh, I just figured the Marines would let 'em fire up the van if it made him feel any better. I didn't know they pulled him out. I'd expect that of course. geebus, it worries me that I think that's a fairly reasonable reaction. I'd fire off big ass rockets with no FAA waiver, screech, hide in a ditch or get drunk. Maybe all the above. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-08-26 7:24:18 PM |
| #6 Ship, actually they pulled him out. They're Marines, ya know? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-08-26 6:44:23 PM |
| #5 mikey moore inerview in 3...2...1 ima can do that to. :) |
| Posted by: muck4doo 2004-08-26 6:13:22 PM |
| #4 This is what voting and free speach, as opposed to property destruction, are for. Old man Arrendondo should vote for JFnK or something if he's angry, not attack the messengers. Of course grief does funny things to a man. |
| Posted by: Secret Master 2004-08-26 4:30:07 PM |
| #3 Geebus, what a sad story, my sympathies also go out to the Marines who brought the news. A horrible job to get. I expect they just stood back and watched. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2004-08-26 4:00:11 PM |
| #2 My sympathies to the family. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2004-08-26 1:02:07 PM |
| #1 all around sad story. :-( |
| Posted by: B 2004-08-26 12:38:36 PM |